Preserving 

 a unique 

 environment 



BY SARAH FRI DAY 



Carol Mayes turned 

 just in time to see an 

 alligator facing her on 

 the other side of the 

 creek. She'd been col- 

 lecting plants when 

 a sudden splash 

 diverted her attention. 



Photo by Scott Taylor 



Salt marsh makes up 9,000 acres 

 of the Smith Island complex 



Luckily, the reptile had another meal on its mind. The legs 

 of a raccoon were wriggling in its mouth. 



Such incidents on Bald Head were rare for Mayes, director 

 of stewardship for the N.C. Nature Conservancy. But the 

 balancing acts of nature continue there everyday. 



Now people who want to preserve the wildlife and natural 

 surroundings of Bald Head have become part of another 

 kind of balancing act. Naturalists, developers, homeowners 

 and tourists are weighing the need for change against the 

 need for conservation. 



To them, Bald Head's environment is like no other— so 

 different that some people believe it's a mistake. 



"South Carolina should have started just north of Bald 

 Head," says Lundie Spence, Sea Grant's marine education 

 specialist. "Bald Head represents a subtropical environment 

 in a temperate state. The obvious evidence for this is palm 

 trees." 



Temperatures range from 25 F to 92 F, mirroring the 

 climate of Myrtle Beach. And there's a reason. Bald Head is 

 the northernmost of a chain of islands, the Sea Islands, that 

 lie off the coasts of northern Florida, Georgia and South 

 Carolina. 



And since water surrounds Bald Head, the ocean 

 moderates the weather so it's cooler in the summer and 

 warmer in the winter. The nearby Gulf Stream also warms the 

 air. 



Bald Head's balmy climate— and a clever entrepreneur- 

 lured tourists to the rustic resort in the 1930s. Before that, the 

 island was a hideout for pirates and a lookout for Civil War 

 troops. And it made fertile ground for pig farms and logging 

 camps. 



Years later, the setting is much the same. 



A maritime forest, shrub thickets, salt marshes, tidal creeks, 

 ponds and dunes make up the highest quality maritime 

 system remaining in North Carolina, Mayes says. 



The combination is a treasure to naturalists such as Mayes. 

 And the crown jewel is the maritime forest. 



The thick woodland has survived centuries of salt spray, 

 hurricanes and other harsh oceanic conditions. Today it 

 covers 1,126 acres of the Smith Island complex. The major 

 part of the forest lies behind the dune ridge on Bald Head, 

 but portions also grow on Middle and Bluff islands. 



As one of the largest and oldest maritime forests in the 

 state, the woodland stands as evidence of the island's sta- 

 bility. One live oak measuring 17 feet 6 inches around is 

 estimated to be more than 300 years old. 



The forest also supports trees and plants from two different 

 regions. Southern species such as the sabal palm grow 

 alongside Northern species such as the live oak. 



The thick canopy they create protects the interior of the 

 forest from salt spray and allows other plants to thrive. Lob- 

 lolly pine, dogwood, wax myrtle and yaupon provide 

 additional cover for the island's abundant wildlife. 



It's not unusual to see a gray fox darting in front of your 

 golf cart at night. Or a raccoon munching on berries. 



And someone recently reported seeing a bobcat, but 

 island naturalist Bill Brooks is waiting for proof. 



